5 Warming winter side dish ideas

5 Warming winter side dish ideas

Side dishes in summer are easy. Just throw together a quick salad with fresh, in-season summer produce and you have a side dish that goes with just about any meal. But salads don’t have quite the same appeal in winter, although we do have a salad below that is perfect for the cooler months.

Winter side dishes definitely require a bit more creativity, since steamed or boiled vegetables get old pretty quickly. If you are in need of a little winter side dish inspiration, you are in the right place! I have put together these 5 warming winter side dish ideas that you will want to make time and time again, and go perfectly with any winter meal. As an added bonus, these recipes are quick, easy and best of all budget friendly!

Roasted Parmesan Sweet Potato

This is one of my all time favourite winter side dishes. Sweet potato is great as it is, but when mixed with the delicious ingredients below and roasted, it’s taken to an amazing new level.

Ingredients

500g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons melted butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried parsley

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 190c. Line a baking tray with foil and set aside.

Add all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Spread evenly over the prepared baking tray.

Bake for around 25 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are golden and cooked through.

Warm Spiced Salad

I wasn’t sure what my kids were going to think about the flavours in this salad, particularly the spiced pomegranate dressing, but they couldn’t get enough of it. The roasted chickpeas also add a healthy crunch that the kids loved.

This salad is the perfect winter salad, and is the perfect option for those busy weeknights when you need to get dinner on the table in a hurry. Just add the contents of the salad kit into a large mixing bowl and it’s ready to serve. It doesn’t get any easier than that!

Remove the roasted chickpea and salad dressing sachets from the salad kit and set aside. Add the remaining contents of the salad kit to a large salad bowl. Add the roasted chickpeas and drizzle over the spiced pomegranate dressing. Toss to combine and serve.

Popcorn Cauliflower

The fact that this popcorn cauliflower has ’popcorn’ in the name means the kids are likely to gobble this up without too much convincing. Not only does it make a great side dish, but also a healthy snack.

These small cauliflower florets are coated in egg followed by a cheesy, flavour filled breadcrumb coating. They are then baked until golden brown, and served warm just like real popcorn. They are the perfect way to turn cauliflower into a fun winter side dish.

Ingredients

1 cauliflower head

1 egg

1 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Salt and pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200c. Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Place the chopped cauliflower in a large saucepan of boiling water for around 5 minutes or until just tender. Drain the cauliflower.

Crack the egg into a large mixing bowl and whisk lightly. Add the cauliflower and stir until the cauliflower is coated in the egg.

In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, paprika, thyme, parmesan and a little salt and pepper. Add the cauliflower and stir until combined.

Place the cauliflower in a single layer on the prepared baking tray and spray with a little olive oil. Bake for around 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden. Serve while warm.

Crunchy Noodle Salad with Asian Style Soy Dressing

Coleslaw is a staple side dish in our house, and is one of those side dishes that works well in both summer and winter. Sometimes there just isn’t enough time on a weeknight to make a coleslaw from scratch, so I use this Woolworths Crunchy Noodle Coleslaw kit. It’s so easy – the vegetables are pre cut and ready to go!

This coleslaw goes well with a weekend roast, as it does on slow cooked pulled pork burgers.

Remove the crunchy noodle and soy dressing sachets from the coleslaw kit and set aside. Empty the remaining contents of the kit into a large serving bowl. Drizzle over the Asian style soy dressing and stir until well combined. Top with the crunchy noodles.

Mashed Potato Casserole

Tired of the same old mashed potato? This mashed potato casserole is perfect for something different. Sure, it may contain butter, cream, cheese and bacon, but combined with the mashed potato it makes for an amazing winter side dish.

Ingredients

2kg potatoes

100g butter

1 cup sour cream

3/4 cup cream

1/2 cup milk

5 slices shortcut bacon, chopped and cooked

2 cups cheese

Instructions

Peel and cube the potatoes. Place in a large saucepan filled with water, bring to the boil and cook until potatoes are tender.

Drain the potatoes and mash using a potato masher. Add the butter, sour cream, cream and milk and mix through until well combined. Fold through half of the bacon and cheese. Transfer to a large baking dish.

Top the potato with the remaining bacon and cheese, and bake at 180c for 20 minutes.